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30 September 2016

Mobile chat show set to lift the lid on mental health during Cabot Circus stop

The public are being invited to take part in a pop-up
talk show, Talkaoke, to mark this year's World Mental Health Day, which is designed to
end the stigma around mental health.

Taking place in Cabot Circus on 8 October from 10 - 5, the event
has been organised by Bristol Anti Stigma Alliance (BASA), along
with partners including the council, Bristol Mental Health and
Bristol Clinical Commissioning Group, who are working together to
end stigma and mental health discrimination.

The event will be set around the 'Talkaoke Table' to engage the
public and encourage people to join the conversation about mental
health. With a host to keep the discussion going, the format will
be a free flowing conversation so people can drop in and out
throughout the day. There will also be other family friendly
activities taking place.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: "Mental health and
wellbeing is one of my priority issues for Bristol. Ensuring we
have good mental health is critical to our city's future and early
intervention is key to this. If we can learn to talk about mental
health without embarrassment or stigma, and know how to support our
friends, family and communities, then we will all be in a much
better place. The World Mental Health Day, as well as the Freedom
of Mind festival, are good examples of how partners can work
together to raise awareness about issues such as this and the help
and advice available."

World Mental Health Day is now celebrated by 150 different
countries across the globe, and is designed to reduce the stigma
around mental health - and talking about it is the key. This year's
theme is 'psychological first aid' and will raise awareness about
the support people can provide to those in distress.

Evidence shows that there are five things that are essential to
wellbeing and good mental health. These include connecting with
people, being physically active, being more mindful, learning new
things and giving to others.

Liz Andrews from BASA, said: "Mental health illness is something
that millions of us face every day, so it's absolutely essential
that we're comfortable talking about this. We all need to know
where to go for help, as well as how to step in and support others
when needed. That's the idea behind the Talkaoke event - we want to
build people's confidence when it comes to tackling mental illness.
We'll have experts on hand to answer any questions people have and
signpost them to appropriate services."

One in four adults and one in 10 children are likely to have a
mental health issue in any given year. It can affect anyone
regardless of age, race, gender or social background and many
people finding it difficult to seek help due to stigma or lack of
information.

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